


Crash

by imaginentertain



Category: Emmerdale
Genre: Angst and Humour, M/M, Robron Week 2017, in which Jen didn't post yesterday, so this is day two and day three
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-12
Updated: 2017-07-12
Packaged: 2018-12-01 09:28:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,215
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11483529
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/imaginentertain/pseuds/imaginentertain
Summary: Aaron barely looked at his caller ID, just swiped the call and started yelling.  "I swear you'd better be dying or dead because no other explanation will be good enough," he barked.In which once again Aaron's well meaning family screw things up for him.





	Crash

Day 2: Robron + angst + “I won't let you.”

Day 3: Robron + funny + "You make me happy."

 

* * *

 

"You are not doing this to my boy again, I won't let you!"

 

Robert bit back the denial that he'd been saying, over and over for the last hour, and he tried really hard to calm himself down and not think about what time it was or where Aaron would be or what he was probably thinking at the time.

 

"Chas—"

 

"He might have been daft enough to forgive you once, but to do it again?  I thought even you had more sense than that."

 

"I'm not—"

 

"I swear if you say that to me one more time I will let Cain back in here and he's been dying to try out his new crowbar."

 

Robert knew when to quit and so he sank back onto the chair that, until recently, he'd been tied to.  And today was supposed to have been a good day.

 

"Where's Aaron?" he asked.  "I need to speak to him."

 

"What?  And tell him more lies?" Chas asked.  "No chance."

 

"You call him then.  Get him here."

 

"And have you spin more lies?"

 

"I won't say a word, I promise."

 

Chas scoffed and folded her arms.  "That means nothing coming from you."

 

"What do you want from me?"

 

"I want you out of his life.  For good."

 

"Fine.  Get him here and tell him why and then, if he wants, I'll go."

 

Chas wasn't quite quick enough to hide her surprise, but she did and stepped back to the door, knocking on it twice.  "It's me," she said, and the lock clicked back.

 

Robert wasn't stupid enough to try and make a run for it but, almost hoping he would be, Cain stood on the other side, tapping his crowbar against his free hand.

 

Robert didn't dare breathe heavily in case Cain read it wrong.

 

* * *

 

Aaron barely looked at his caller ID, just swiped the call and started yelling.  "I swear you'd better be dying or dead because no other explanation will be good enough," he barked.

  
"What?" Chas asked.

 

"Mum.  Sorry.  I thought you were...  Never mind.  What's up?"

 

"You doing anything right now?"

 

Aaron gave a short laugh.  "Turns out no."

 

"Can you come up to Moira's?  The outhouses round the back."

 

"Why?"

 

"Please, love.  It's important."

  
"Are you OK?"

 

"I'm fine, love.  Just, quick as you can, yeah?"

 

* * *

 

When Aaron walked across the yard he could see half his family lined up by the outhouse: his mum, Cain, Sam, Zak, Lisa, even Belle and Debbie were there.

 

"What's going on?" he asked.

 

"Robert's been playin' away," Cain said.

  
"I thought we were going to break the news to him gently," Chas hissed.

 

"Rip the plaster off, that's my motto."

 

"You what?" Aaron asked.

 

"Robert.  Cheating.  Again," Cain said slowly.  "I mean, I'd draw you a diagram but you know what's involved."

 

"It's true, love," Chas said.

 

"No, it's not," Aaron said, shaking his head.

 

"I wish it weren't, I really do.  I thought he'd learned from last time but I guess spots don't change."

 

"Why would you think that?" Aaron asked.

 

"The other week he lied to you about where he was," Chas said.  "He said he'd been working from home all day but Belle saw him in Hotten.  And I heard him last week on the phone sorting out some hotel room, but you knew nothing about it.  And before you go on about it being a surprise, it's for tonight.  You know, the night we're all comin' round to yours for a summer party?"

 

"An' I saw him in that fancy suit place," Sam added.  "I 'ad to go pick up sommat for Mr White and Robert were coming out with this bag.  When he saw me he were right jumpy, like he were hiding sommat."

 

"And this means he's having an affair?" Aaron asked, running a hand down his face.

 

"Charity's at the hotel now, staking it out," Chas said.  "Meanwhile, he's in there."  She gestured behind her to the door and Aaron's face fell.

 

"You've locked him up?" he yelled.

 

"Aaron!" Robert yelled from inside, and in response Cain smacked the crowbar against the door.

 

"I didn't smash his face in over Rebecca because you two were trying to sort it," Cain said, "but this time I'm going to need a good reason not to."

  
"He's not cheating on me," Aaron said, pushing forward.  "Move."

 

"Look, lad, we know you love 'im an' all," Zak started, "but he's had enough chances.  And that's comin' from me."

 

"Maybe it's best you walk away now," Lisa chimed in, "while you still can."

 

"Move," Aaron said, squaring firmly up to Cain.  "I want to speak to him myself."

 

"He said he'd go if you told him to," Chas said as Cain stepped aside.  "I think you should.  I know you care about him but—"

 

Aaron ignored her, turning the key in the lock and pulling the door open.  Robert was immediately on his feet, holding up his hands in surrender as if he were afraid of what Cain would do.

 

"I didn't stand you up, I wouldn't do that," Robert said quickly.

 

"Yeah, I get that now," Aaron said.  He pulled a face.  "Might want to delete the voicemails I left ya without listening though."

 

"I'm sorry, I know what you must've thought."

 

"And then some."

 

"I've not been cheating on you."

 

"Liar," Chas spat.

 

"Mum."

 

"Well how do you explain all the lies?  All the meetings he said he was at that Jimmy's got no record of?"

 

"Have you been spying on me?" Robert asked, then took a step back when Cain flinched in his direction.  "Aaron, little help here?"

 

"He's not helping you with anything, except maybe your packing," Cain said.

 

"All those meetings, he was with me," Aaron said.  "We were...  We were arranging something."

 

"What?" Chas asked.

 

Aaron sighed, throwing a glance at Robert before he turned, putting himself between Robert and his family.  "Our wedding," he said.  "The legal one."

 

* * *

 

Once the not-his-kid-after-all drama had settled, once Aaron felt on more solid ground, they'd dared to talk about making their marriage legal.  Not that they didn't feel married, not that it meant nothing, but in a way it felt like a fresh start, a way of drawing a line under everything and moving forward in a positive way.  But the idea of letting the Dingle family near another wedding wasn't appealing.

 

So the joke about doing it in secret was made... and then stopped being a joke.  They loved the sneaking around ("Reminded me of the thrill of our affair, Mum.  I mean, I know it wasn't exactly the best of times, but we loved it.  The risk and the danger.  We got a bit of that back.") and they were able to do everything their way.  And it didn't matter that no one would be there because no one was there the last time, and anyway: this was just a bit of paper.

  
"We'd planned the party tonight to tell you," Aaron finished, "celebrate it properly."

 

"And the hotel room?" Chas asked, already working it out.

 

"My surprise for him," Robert said, eyeing Cain up nervously.  He still hadn't put the crowbar down and he looked very unimpressed at not having a reason to use it.  "I'm not cheating on him.  I'm... cheating with him."

 

"When were you guys—?" Belle started.

 

"Two hours ago," Aaron snapped.  "And so now we have to get a new licence and give notice for a new date and once again my mad family have ruined my wedding day."

 

"We thought—" Chas started.

 

"The worst of him," Aaron interrupted.  "And you're always going to, aren't you?  No matter what, you're all just waiting for him to slip up, to lock him up, to bash his head in," he added, gesturing to the crowbar.  "What chance do we have if you won't give him a chance?"

  
"Aaron—" Robert said, but stopped when Aaron shot him a look.

 

"Worst part is, I honestly thought you'd stood me up.  Not that something had happened, but that you didn't want this."

 

"Aaron..."

 

"What does that mean for us?" Aaron asked sadly, pushing past his family and walking off.

 

Robert stood there, watching him go and then looking nervously at the assembled Dingles.

 

"Well?" Cain asked.  "Are you going after him or am I going to have to use this?"

 

Robert ran.

 

* * *

 

It took a lot of drinks and a whole night of talking for Aaron to realise that assuming he'd been stood up wasn't a sign that they were doomed.  It was natural, an honest reaction.  Because even if Robert had been at death's door he wouldn't have left Aaron like that.

 

After a couple hours' sleep, a shower, and a quick bite to eat, they were about to head out of the door when the buzzer sounded.  Aaron answered it and, after shooting Robert a look, let them in.  Cain appeared in the doorway, hands shoved in his coat pockets.

 

"I'm guessing you got new suits for the big day," he said.

 

"What?" Aaron asked.

 

"Your wedding.  You can't get hitched in that hoodie, no matter how much you love it."

 

"I'm not getting hitched today," Aaron replied.

 

"Yes, you are.  In an hour's time, so get moving."

 

"We can't," Robert said, "not legally anyway.  The licence was good for yesterday, and yesterday only."

 

"It's sorted.  This is legal, above board, and, well, mostly legit.  So get your suits on and be quick, you don't want to be late."

 

"Cain, just—"  Aaron tried to move past his uncle but he filled the doorframe and refused to move.  "What are you doing?"

 

"Suit.  Now.  Do it."

 

"Why?"

 

"Because it's what you do when you get married and your mum wants today to be right for you."

 

* * *

 

Eventually they realised it was just easier to do what Cain wanted (Robert worried that there was a crowbar under Cain's jacket) and so once they were suited up they got into the back of Cain's car and drove into Hotten.  He dropped them off outside the registry office where most of the Dingles, Liv, Victoria, Adam and Moira were waiting.

 

"Is anyone gonna tell me what's going on?" Aaron asked, scanning the crowd.  "Where's Mum?"

 

"She's inside, love," Faith said.  "Needs to sit down after yesterday."

 

"Yeah, 'cause kidnapping me and ruining another wedding really takes it out of her," Robert deadpanned.

 

"More like after the not-that-serious but still worrying car crash she was in yesterday," Liv said with a grin, "which is why Robert didn't turn up because he was taking her to the hospital, and it's where you two have been all night worried about her."

 

"What are you on about?" Aaron asked.

 

"You can get an emergency licence in special situations," Liv explained.  "Chas came down here and begged them, they said yes and so you two can get hitched today.  Properly."

 

"You're kidding?  Why would they buy that?" Aaron asked.

 

He got his answer when he went inside.  Chas was indeed sat down: in a wheelchair.  Her arm was in a cast and her face looked like she'd been on the receiving end of Cain's crowbar.

 

"Like my make up job?" Liv whispered.  "Paddy did the cast and it's Faith's old wheelchair."

 

"Not going to look pretty in the pictures, love, but I'm glad I didn't totally ruin your big day," Chas said, hamming it up as the registrar walked over to them.  "I just hope that I'm not in too much pain that I need to leave."

 

"You can always take one of your pills," Charity added, equally as dramatic.  "I mean, I know they send you a bit loopy but this is your son's big day and you can't miss it."

 

"This is stupid," Aaron muttered, turning to Robert.  "Are they for real?"

 

"Looks it," Robert said.

 

"I'm glad your mother is OK, Mr Dingle," the registrar said.  "We can get started if you're all ready?"

 

"Are we really doing this?" Aaron asked.

 

"I want to marry you, that's not changed," Robert said, "but if this isn't right then—"

 

"It's perfect," Aaron smiled.  "Even if they are crazy."

 

He nodded over to where Charity was making a big show of wheeling the "suffering" mother of the groom into the room, Chas going on about the accident which tried to rob her of the chance to see her only boy married, and how nothing on this earth would ever stop her being here for him or seeing him happy.

 

"You do, by the way," Aaron said quietly so only Robert could hear.  "You make me happy."

 

"You make me happy too," Robert smiled.  "Come on then, Mr Sugden.  Let's make this legit."

 

* * *

 

The ceremony was simple, to the point, and utterly uninterrupted by anyone.  Almost as if they'd been warned by a certain five-foot-nothing young woman that if they wrecked this day she'd make them wish for Cain.  As they were proclaimed married Robert turned to the celebrant, asking, "So this is legit, for real, one hundred percent legal?" and when she laughed and nodded only then did he turn back to his _husband_ and pull him in for a kiss.


End file.
